EMBASSY OF THE UAE UNITED ARAB BERLIN ECONOMIC BULLETIN

Nr. 43 | July 2021 Content

P. 4 Hub for Contactless Economy

P. 5 Masdar City attracting Giants

P. 6 DEWA & : Energy Transition

EXPO 2020 DUBAI ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ is Expo’s theme and its Masdar City, the sustainable urban development in the UAE, is set to purpose. It is based on the belief that innovation and progress play a key role in the global green are the result of people from different fields and backgrounds recovery from COVID-19 as it coming together in new and unique ways to share ideas. continues to add sustainability-fo- cused innovation and technology companies. Expo 2020 will explore the power of con- nections across the key subthemes of Mission Possible – The Read more on page 5 Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – areas it sees as fundamental in shaping Opportunity Pavilion our world. Under the Opportunity subtheme, Expo • Opportunity: Unlocking the potential 2020 will examine how the potential of for individuals and communities to communities and individuals can be un- shape the future locked to help shape the future and cre- ate an equal playing field for everyone, • Mobility: Creating smarter and more encapsulating the belief that every action productive movement of people, goods has an effect, not only in our own com- and ideas, both physically and virtually, munities, but also across . The that ensure we maintain our resiliency Opportunity subtheme is closely aligned with the objectives of the Sustainable De- • Sustainability: Respecting and living in velopment Goals (SDGs), the blueprint balance with the world we inhabit to for peace and prosperity for people and ensure a sustainable future for all the planet. > Expo Dubai

The 17 SDGs, already at the heart of the roles as gathering spaces where people humble beginnings to the interconnected UAE’s strategic vision, underpin Expo’s come together to create and debate. This world of today and beyond. activities and goals before, during and emphasises Expo 2020’s overarching after the six months of Expo. They cut purpose and theme ‘Connecting Minds, Meet the larger-than-life, nine-metre-tall across Expo in all manner of ways, from Creating the Future,’ and the premise of historical giants of mobility whose inno- spotlighting how countries are placing bringing people together, which also un- vations helped navigate the world and sustainable development at the core of derpins the aims of the SDGs. paved the way for the technology we use their strategies, to actively engaging, in- today. Move beyond earth’s frontiers as forming and inspiring millions of citizens Two other elements are highlighted in pa- you reach for space and feel empowered to make a conscious difference. vilion’s design: terracotta and mesh. Ter- to explore uncharted territories and cre- racotta is used throughout the pavilion’s ate the future you want. However, it is within Expo 2020’s Oppor- floor and facade to represent the Earth tunity Pavilion, known as Mission Possi- where we come from and to emphasise Step into the future where smart cities ble, that the SDGs will be brought to life human activity and interaction. And, are created through artificial intelligence, for visitors. Here, through the pavilion’s floating 32 metres above the ground, the big data, robotics, machine learning and interactive exhibition experience, Expo pavilion’s mesh canopy represents clouds autonomous transport. Learn about the will show how each and every one of us and the dreams of a better future that we complexity of moving goods around the has the opportunity to contribute, how all aspire to achieve. world and how mobility could evolve in small steps can lead to big changes, and the human-centred city of the future. how unlocking opportunity at a local lev- el can be used for the greater global good. Alif – The Mobility The Mobility Pavilion, designed by the award-winning Foster + Partners, fea- Visitors to the pavilion are guided Pavilion tures the world’s largest passenger lift, through three ‘tracks’ that focus on water, food and energy – three resources chosen because they are basic human needs and essential for progress.

Each track is brought to life by expert guides from diverse backgrounds and na- tionalities, whose innovating projects in their community – simple solutions that have required little resources or invest- ment – have had life-changing impact.

Members of their communities share stories of how, thanks to these ideas, their lives have transformed – improve- ments that go beyond access to water, food and energy and demonstrate the interdependency of the SDGs. Through these, we not only see localised advances Mobility is the movement of people, which is capable which is capable of in achieving the SDGs but witness the goods and services, capital, data, ideas holding more than 160 persons (38 based sheer human potential in each of us as and cultures. It can mean physical move- on current social distancing restrictions) we strive towards a better life for people ment but is also about connections, real and has a twin sister in Singapore. and the planet on which we live. and virtual. The pavilion also stars a partly under- Illustrating the Opportunity Pavilion’s We live in a world of limitless connec- ground, partly open-air 330-metre track message that small actions can have a tions. Explore horizons that drive human for visitors to see cutting-edge mobility huge ripple effect, the guides and their progress, as mobility continues to trans- devices in action. communities are leading by example, form the way we live, connect with peo- inspiring us all to act and do things dif- ple, understand different cultures, and ferently, or at least be more aware of our exchange knowledge and ideas. Terra – The choices as we go about our daily lives. The Mobility Pavilion, named Alif (after Sustainability Pavilion The concept of Opportunity has also the first letter of the Arabic alphabet and been reflected in the architecture of the symbolising the beginning of progress Expo 2020’s Sustainability Pavilion, pavilion, designed by AGi Architects. and new horizons), will provide visitors named Terra (meaning Planet Earth) will It has been conceived as a large plaza, with an exciting and thought-provoking bring to life the UAE and Expo 2020’s building on the rich urban history of experience, demonstrating how mobil- commitment to sustainability, acting as a plazas throughout millennia, from Ro- ity has driven mankind’s development catalyst for change in the UAE, the region man times to the modern day, and their throughout our existence – from our and globally.

2 Expo Dubai Expo Dubai

The Sustainability Pavilion covers 6,300 sqm and is capable of hosting 4,400 peo- ple per hour, with each visit taking about 45 minutes. Its content was created in collaboration with US firm Thinc Design and the UK’s Eden Project.

The visitor experience includes:

• A walk through time in an Arabian wadi, where cheetahs and mega ele- phants once roamed

• Huge installations inspired by icon- ic fairground attractions that explain key sustainability issues and concepts, including a giant balance maze requir- ing visitors to collaborate to bring the Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion will as a giant shade to reduce the sun’s Earth into balance highlight the urgency of addressing neg- heating effect ative environmental impacts, through an • An interactive walk through the roots engaging and personal experience that is • Condensation is collected from the of the forest, where every footstep af- designed to empower visitors to under- air-handling system, filtered, disin- fects the ‘wood-wide-web’, the amazing stand their impact on the environment fected and blended with near-surface symbiotic network of roots and fungi and become agents of change. brackish water, which is desalinated that allow trees to communicate and on-site to supply potable water for the share resources A playful, exploratory experience for pavilion. Reed beds also help with nat- children, Terra is designed to change ural filtration of water • An exploration ‘under the ocean’ to their mindset and encourage them to discover the beauty and the mysteries break the cycle of consumerism. It will • The pavilion’s ‘Water Tree’ is a show- contained within remain in legacy as a Science Centre that case of cutting edge tech that can will inspire sustainable choices for young capture moisture from the air like a • A journey through consumption halls, and old for generations to come. sponge, entirely powered by the sun uncovering the hidden harmful im- pacts of our choices • The pavilion and its surrounding • The pavilion’s grounds feature innova- grounds cover approximately 25,000 tive irrigation techniques – including a • A meeting with ‘Gnasher’ – a giant sqm and were designed by Grimshaw greywater recycling system – and local consumption machine that shows how Architects plants to reduce water consumption by natural resources are being destroyed 75 per cent to make consumer products • The pavilion is planned to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environ- • The demonstration gardens show new • An encounter with a deep sea fish mental Design) Platinum green build- crops being developed for arid climates whose system is clogged with discard- ing standards and is built to be net-ze- that could contribute to future food se- ed plastic waste ro for both energy and water curity in the region • A series of ‘would you rather?’ scenari- • Energy is generated through the high- • The building will remain in legacy as a os to challenge visitors to consider how est specification of photovoltaic panels Science Centre that can be enjoyed by individual behaviours directly impact available, 4,912 of which are arranged all ages our planet on a 130-metre-wide roof canopy and atop a series of ‘Energy Trees’, which The Sustainability Pavilion is one of Expo • The Laboratory of Future Values – a track the path of the sun. In total, the 2020 Dubai’s signature experiences. It hopeful space that presents solutions building’s technology will produce four will take millions of visitors on an im- to the challenges, issues and worries Gigawatt hours per year of electricity – mersive journey through the wonders of raised earlier in the experience enough for a Nissan Leaf to drive half- the natural world and inspire them to cre- way to Mars ate a cleaner, healthier, safer future. • A request for visitors to make an in- dividual pledge that supports positive • Energy is also saved by burying During Expo 2020, the pavilion also will change. This could be as simple as cut- much of the occupied spaces below host entertaining and enriching events, ting back on food waste or not using the ground and providing thick, in- such as science shows and cultural per- single-use plastic sulated walls with minimal glazing. formances that reflect the Sustainability Simultaneously, the solar roof acts subtheme.

3 Digitization

Dubai posed to become a hub for contactless economy

Companies based in Dubai Internet City tions to come together to test and develop for clients and partners. Shahebaz Khan, are playing an integral role in positioning cutting-edge contactless payment tech- Visa’s general manager for the UAE, said Dubai as an incubator and exporter of in- nologies in an agile ecosystem that pro- even before the pandemic, contactless novative contactless technologies, which vides state-of-the-art infrastructure, ac- payments were popular in the UAE. The are on track to hit a global market size cess to talent and cost-effective business pandemic has only increased their appeal exceeding Dh1.1 trillion by 2024. solutions,” he said. The growing uptake among consumers who want to be able to of digitisation and paperless transactions make payments in the safest and most hy- As consumers move away from cash, con- will also contribute to Smart Dubai’s Du- gienic way possible. tactless services are seeing a steep rise in bai Paperless Strategy which aims to see demand due to better user experiences emirate become 100 per cent digital by “In fact, the findings of our Back to Busi- and innovative interaction methods be- the end of 2021, the DIC statement said. ness Study - 2021 Outlook show that tween users and devices, Dubai Internet UAE consumers have adjusted their pay- City, which is home to several major Digital payment providers are working ment habits during the pandemic with 77 players in the contactless tech space, said hard to reduce friction points and pro- per cent of respondents using contact- on Tuesday. According to Precedence vide a seamless journey. At the same time, less payments where possible. For many Research’s latest report, the global con- more brick-and-mortar stores continue businesses, the transition to contactless tactless payment market size was valued to embrace an exciting new era of om- payments has become a matter of sur- at $1.05 trillion in 2019 and is projected nichannel retail, DIC, the region’s larg- vival during the pandemic. Recognizing to reach $4.60 trillion by 2027, rising at a est business district for technology and the increased popularity of contactless market growth (CAGR) of 20.01 per cent innovation, said. Dubai Internet City is payments among their consumers, 82 during the forecast period. quickly becoming a global hub for digi- per cent of UAE merchants surveyed in tal payment innovations with its partners our Small Business Recovery 2021 study “We are pleased to see contactless solu- using their innovation centres to further said they see digital payments – including tions from global powerhouses that are support and grow the contactless and contactless - as a necessary investment in part of Dubai Internet City such as Visa. digital economy. business recovery and growth,” he said. This consolidates our business district’s status as a global tech and talent hub that Visa, the global leader in digital pay- Visa remains committed to working with fosters innovation,” said Ammar Al Ma- ments, is building its headquarters for Dubai Internet City, the region’s leading lik, managing director of Dubai Internet the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle tech community, and providing oppor- City. With the ground-breaking solu- East and Africa region in Dubai Internet tunities to support the growth of digital tions, these companies help Dubai Inter- City that supports the company’s capabil- commerce, said Khan. net City achieves its goal of supporting ities across almost 90 countries. Visa al- Dubai’s diversification inline with the vi- ready has an Innovation Centre in Dubai, https://www.khaleejtimes.com/busi- sion of our leaders to maximise the mas- where it co-develops innovative digital ness/dubai-poised-to-become-a-hub- sive and promising potential of the digital payment solutions with partners across for-contactless-economy economy, said Al Malik. CEMEA and the new location will have an expanded and updated Innovation “We see huge opportunities for startups, Centre aimed at showcasing the latest freelancers and multinational corpora- in cashless solutions and opportunities

4 Digitization Business & Investment

Masdar City attracts global and regional innovation giants

Masdar City, the sustainable urban devel- opment in the UAE, is set to play a key role in the global green recovery from COVID-19 as it continues to add sustain- ability-focused innovation and technolo- gy companies.

The number of companies in the City’s free zone increased 26 percent in 2020, indicating the important role of the City and its offerings to innovation-led com- panies, including G42 Healthcare, whose laboratories and testing centres were cen- tral to the UAE’s pandemic response.

The figures emphasise the essential need for innovation in progressing the green transition through the development and commercialisation of new technologies. Masdar City is ’s only planned and approved research and development (R&D) cluster and is now home to more than 900 companies, ranging from mul- transformative technologies, is not only the world to achieve this; the Emirates tinationals and SMEs, to homegrown preparing for the future, but is creating Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC); startups. These companies are develop- it, while simultaneously supporting the and companies such as Siemens, Siemens ing ground-breaking technological solu- UAE’s goals of driving sustainable and Energy, Saint-Gobain, and Tabreed, as tions to some of the world’s most pressing positive change,” Balalaa concluded. well as core tenant, Masdar (Abu Dhabi environmental challenges, across the key Future Energy Company). sectors of energy, water, artificial - Despite the challenges presented by the ligence, health, space, agriculture, and COVID-19 pandemic, Masdar City has Masdar City is also an active proponent of mobility. continued to welcome new partners, the UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence including high-tech sector drivers, the Strategy 2031, which identifies the growth “The UAE leadership has made a long- Advanced Technology Research Council potential associated with AI, and has set standing commitment to progressive cli- (ATRC), which shapes the R&D strategy out to establish the country as an incuba- mate action and recognises the integral in Abu Dhabi, alongside its pillar entities, tor for AI innovation. This year, Masdar part that innovation plays in advancing the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) City welcomed the first students to the the global green recovery,” said Abdul- and ASPIRE, and will continue to wel- world’s first graduate-level, research-based la Balalaa, Executive Director, Masdar come regional and global partners in the university dedicated to the study of AI, City. “The COVID-19 pandemic has fur- coming months. the Mohammed bin of ther underlined the links between public Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). Masdar health and climate change. Now more The ATRC joins an already impressive City is also home to a growing number of than ever, we see the critical importance cluster of innovation-driven companies AI specialist companies contributing to a of the green recovery. It is the only way including: Honeywell Innovation Centre, predicted $15.7 trillion boost to the global forward to drive sustainable develop- an innovation and knowledge-exchange economy by 2030 and $320 billion to the ment, and facilitating innovation in key hub designed to advance digital transfor- economy. sectors is a fundamental aspect of this mation across the oil, gas, petrochemical journey, one that we are helping to lead and infrastructure sectors; G42 Health- Already established as a leading innova- at Masdar City. care, which conducted the first pan-Arab tion hub in the region, together with its clinical trials for an inactivated COV- partners, Masdar City will continue to “The UAE also has in place a National ID-19 vaccine and has established the advance solutions in key sectors, which Strategy for Advanced Innovation which region’s largest and most advanced Omics also support the UAE’s industrial sector is focused on devising innovative solu- Centre of Excellence, which is home to a in increasing its contribution to gross do- tions in the health, transportation, water, series of Omics projects; the Internation- mestic product (GDP) of AED300 billion environment, and space technology. This al Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) by 2031. vision is at the heart of Masdar and the – the first intergovernmental organisa- reason that Masdar City was developed tion to be located in the Middle East; the “The UAE has strategies in place that will as a ‘greenprint’ of sustainable urban UAE Space Agency, which made history support the development of industrial living and a centre for R&D, innovation earlier this year by sending a space craft small-to-medium entreprises and enable and technology. The work being done into Mars’ Orbit, making the UAE the them to play a greater role in the country’s by companies in Masdar City to develop first Arab nation, and one of just five in transition to a knowledge-based econ- >

5 Energy Transition

> omy. The City provides a very unique bp, is the first start-up accelerator in the sustainable skincare company De L’Arta. offering that includes education, R&D, MENA region dedicated to sustainability. technology, and innovation, all within a Companies operating under its incuba- Masdar recently marked its 15-year anni- strategic base through which companies tion program include Seramic, which is versary with its ‘For A Sustainable Future’ can test new technologies and build their developing turnkey solutions to upcycle brand campaign, which is focusing on re- partnerships,” Balalaa added. industrial waste; Volts, which provides al-world examples of how Masdar City is an in-house smart battery management driving innovation in the region. The development of startup businesses is system that can create its own autono- also a key focus for Masdar City. The Cat- mous electricity supply in a house when https://www.wam.ae/en/de- alyst, a joint venture between Masdar and charged by the grid or solar panels; and tails/1395302944228

Power generation, the sustainable key for energy transmission

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Siemens have been working successfully on significantly improving the performance of several power plants in Dubai’s area. More than 65% of DEWA’s total installed capacity is generated from Siemens gas and steam turbines. In a turnkey approach to meet peak demands, particularly in the Emirate’s hot summer months, Siemens Wet Compression technology helps supply more than 100,000 inhabitants with electricity and provides energy solutions for industry. This ensures a higher quality for life.

https://new.siemens.com/eg/en/company/topic-areas/ingenuity-for-life/dewa.html

6 Energy Transition Bilateral Relations

Her Excellency Mariam AlMheiri, UAE Special Envoy to Republic of Germany and Minister of State for Food and Water Security paid a visit to the States of Bavaria and North Rheine-Westphalia. During the visit, Her Excellency met with several representatives from both regional governments as well as leaders of the business community. Her Excellency also opened the German Emirati Institute at Aachen University.

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Imprint

Publisher Embassy of the Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber Ambassador Editor of Commerce and Industry e.V. H.E. Hafsa Al Ulama Khalfan Al Matrooshi Hiroshimastr. 18-20 Garnisonkirchplatz 1 Ahmed Shalaby D-10785 Berlin D-10178 Berlin

Telefon: + 49 (0)3051651451 Telefon: + 49 (0)30278907-0 Secretary General Layout: www.uae-embassy.ae www.ghorfa.de Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi Ghorfa Team @uaeinberlin @Ghorfa_Germany @uaeinberlin @Ghorfa @uaeinberlin @Ghorfa

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